Needles District
The Needles
The southeastern section of Canyonlands National Park, with forests of red and white sandstone spires. It is best known for hiking and 4WD driving, and sees far fewer visitors than Island in the Sky.
The Needles district is reached by heading south from Moab on US Route 191, then turning onto Utah Route 211, a drive of about 1.5 hours that passes Newspaper Rock. Classic trails include the Chesler Park loop (about 18 kilometers), as well as shorter routes such as the Pothole Point trail and the Cave Spring Trail. The Big Spring Canyon overlook can be reached directly by car. Supplies are limited in this area, so plan a full day for it.
Opening hours
Open all day; visitor center seasonal
Nearby sights
- Grand View Point Overlook
- Mesa Arch
- Green River Overlook
- Shafer Trail
- Island in the Sky
- Newspaper Rock State Historic Monument
- Upheaval Dome
- Dead Horse Point State Park